Combined handle lock and bracket for fire extinguishers



C. L. HAIN Dec. 21, 1965 COMBINED HANDLE LOOK AND BRACKET FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Filed July 27, 1962 W m A H E VL N D R O F F L C a m 8 Wu f W l FIG..

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,224,720 COMBINED HANDLE LOCK AND BRACKET FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Clifiord L. Haiti, Northhrook, IlL, assignor to The Fire Guard Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Filed July 27, 1962, Ser. No. 212,837 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-313) This invention relates to an improve-d handle lock and bracket for a portable tank type fire extinguisher for supporting such extinguisher in a convenient location and in a position readily available for use, and at the same time locking the extinguisher against inadvertent operation.

The type of fire extinguisher with which the improved bracket support of this invention is concerned includes a tank having an operating lever and pivoted handle structure at its upper end. The pivoted handle itself extends generally downwardly to overlap a peripheral upper edge of the tank itself. The lever on the other hand, extends generally horizontally from the top portion of the extinguisher in a position such that both the handle and lever may be grasped simultaneously. In this particular type of extinguisher, the handle must initially be swung upwardly in order to release the lever for operation.

A bracket support structure must, of course, enable visibility of the extinguisher parts while at the same time be susceptible of quick and simple opening for removal of the extinguisher. Normally, the bracket support and handle locking device would consist of separate structures. Thus, locking pins are conventionally employed for either directly locking the lever or indirectly locking same through the carrying handle.

In consequence, with the usual construction, the fire extinguisher must first be removed from the supporting bracket. Thereafter, a separate manual operation must be effected to unlock the operating lever, either by removing the pin locking the lever or the handle to which the lever is coupled.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved bracket support for extinguishers in which the extinguisher operating portions are readily accessible for operation after the extinguisher has been removed from the bracket and yet in which such operating portions cannot be actuated so long as the extinguisher is held in the bracket.

More particularly, it is an object to provide an improved bracket support for a portable type fire extinguisher in which the extinguisher is also locked against positive operation so long as it is held within the bracket and yet in which removal of the extinguisher from the bracket automatically releases the locking feature so that the extinguisher may immediately be operated.

Another object is to provide an improved bracket support meeting the foregoing objects in which the locking structure is simple and reliable in operation and does not appreciably interfere with insertion or removal of the extinguisher from the bracket.

Briefly, these and other objects and advantages of this invention are attained by providing a supporting bracket including a flexible band adapted to be buckled about a cylindrical portion of the tank of the extinguisher close to the upper end thereof. To this band there is secured a novel clip structure extending laterally outwardly and thence upwardly and inwardly in such a position as to overlap the end portion of the downwardly extending handle on the extinguisher. The arrangement is such that the handle is locked against any possibility of upward movement so long as the band is coupled about the extinguisher to hold the extinguisher in the bracket.

On the other hand, when the extinguisher is removed from the band, the clip structure automatically disengages the handle so that the handle is free for pivoting movement to enable operation of the extinguisher.

Important features of the invention reside in the particular shape of the clip structure to facilitate its seating in a channel portion of the handle serving thereby the dual function of retaining the clip in its overlapped position on the handle as well as lending strength to the clip structure itself.

A better understanding of the invention will be had by now referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the improved bracket of this invention and a portable fire extinguisher adapted to be held by the bracket as they would appear after removal of the fire extinguisher from the bracket;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the upper portion of the extinguisher and bracket with the extinguisher held in the bracket; and,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is shown a conventional portable type fire extinguisher including a tank 10, handle 11, and operating lever 12. As will become clearer when certain details of the extinguisher are described, the handle 11 in its downward position extends past the peripheral upper portion of the cylindrical tank It) and in this position serves to prevent downward movement of the lever 12. Accordingly, the extinguisher cannot be operated as long as the handle 11 is in the position shown.

The improved bracket structure itself includes an elongated vertical rear strip 13 adapted to be secured to any flat surface such as a wall as by means of screw holes 14- and 15. As shown, the lower end of the strip 13 terminates in a seating structure 16 adapted to cradle the bottom end of the tank 10 when the tank is positioned in the bracket. The upper end of the strip includes a flexible band 17 having over-center type buckle portions 18 and 19 as shown. The bracket is completed by a novel clip structure 26 secured to a peripheral portion of the band 17 in a position to overlap an end portion of the downwardly depending handle 11 of the extinguisher when the band is buckled about the upper cylindrical portion of the tank 10.

The foregoing arrangement will be clearer by referring to FIGURE 2 wherein the band 17 is shown buckled about the upper end of the extinguisher with the clip 20 overlapping the lower end of the handle 11. As will be clear from FIGURE 2, the clip itself includes a lower portion 21 rigidly secured to the outer peripheral portion of the band 17 and thence a laterally extending portion 22. The laterally extending portion 22 then curves upwardly and inwardly to define an upwardly and inwardly extending portion 23. The edges of the lateral portion 22 are bent downwardly and the edges of the upwardly and inwardly extending portion 23 are raised as at 24 and 25 as shown in FIGURE 3 so that there are defined convex surface portions. The convex surface portion of the laterally extending section 22 faces upwardly and the convex surface portion of the upwardly and inwardly extending portion 23 faces generally inwardly.

The formation of the clip member 20 with convex surface portions as described serves two functions. First, the raising of the side edges 24 and 25 as described will lend structural strength to the clip. Secondly, the convex surface on the upwardly and inwardly extending portion facing inwardly will facilitate insertion of this portion of the clip in the handle 11. This handle, in con- 3 ventional construction, is channel-shaped as is clear from FIGURE 3 so that the convex surface portion of the clip will be easily cradled and retained therein.

With the clip in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 and the band 17 buckled about the extinguisher, it will be evident that the handle 11 is prevented from upward pivoting movement about its pivot 26. As a consequence, the lever 12 is held in an upward position by a cross pin 27 conventionally provided therein. It is thus not possible to operate the extinguisher by downward movement of the lever 12 so long as the handle 11 is held in the position shown. The operation of the improved bracket support will be evident from the foregoing description. With the band 17 uncoupled as illustrated in FIGURE 1, it is a simple matter to insert the tank of the extinguisher in the bracket with the bottom portion thereof cradled in the seat 16. As the band is encircled about the upper portion of the tank 10, the tank is easily rotated to a position in which the handle 11 is juxtaposed the clip 20. Securing of the buckles 18 and 19 together by conventional over-center action will then urge the clip 20 into tight overlapping engagement with the lower portion of the handle 11 so that the extinguisher will be secured in the bracket as illustrated in FIGURE 2. In this position, it will be immediately evident that there is no possibility of inadvertent operation of the extinguisher.

When it is desired to use the extinguisher, the buckles 18 and 19 need simply be unsnapped and releasing of the band 17 will automatically relieve the pressure of the clip 20 against the handle 11 so that once the extinguisher is removed, the handle 11 is free to be pivoted upwardly and thus enable operation of the lever 12.

The entire bracket assembly is simple and reliable and will support the extinguisher in a position in which the operating lever and handle portions are clearly visible and manually accessible to the end that minimum time is required for removal of the extinguisher for emergency use. On the other hand, the design of the bracket as described will avoid any possibility of inadvertent operation of the extinguisher while held in the bracket.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination comprising: a portable cylindrical type fire extinguisher having an operating lever and a downwardly directed pivoted handle for releasing said lever for operation when moved upwardly; a flexible band adapted to be buckled about said extinguisher; a clip having a lower end secured to said band and an upper end portion adapted to overlap the end of said handle when said band is buckled about said extinguisher whereby said extinguisher is locked against inadvertent operation.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, in which said handle is channel-shaped in cross section and said clip has raised side edge portions to define a convex surface adapted to seat in a channel portion of said handle whereby said clip is held in overlapped position with said handle so long as said band is buckled about said extinguisher.

3. An improved bracket support for a portable fire extinguisher of the type including a cylindrical tank having an operating lever and a pivoted handle at its upper end and in which said handle must be pivoted upwardly from a position extending downwardly over a peripheral edge portion of the upper end of said cylindrical tank in order to free said lever for operation, said bracket support comprising in combination: an elongated rear strip adapted to be secured to a wall surface, the lower end of said strip terminating in seating means for cradling the bottom of said cylindrical tank; a flexible band secured to the upper end of said strip and adapted to be buckled about an upper portion of said tank; and a curved clip having a lower end secured to a peripheral portion of said band and extending laterally outwardly from said band and thence upwardly and inwardly in a position to overlap the lower end of said handle when said band is buckled about said extinguisher whereby said handle is locked in its downward position when said extinguisher is secured in said bracket and is automatically freed for upwardly moving to unlock said lever when said extinguisher is removed from said bracket.

4. An improved bracket support according to claim 3, in which said handle has a channel-shaped portion facing outwardly and in which the sides of the laterally extending and upwardly and inwardly extending portions of said clip are raised to define a convex surface portion facing upwardly for said lateral portion and inwardly for said upwardly and inwardly extending portion to lend strength to said clip and facilitate engagement of said upwardly and inwardly extending portion in said channelshaped portion of said handle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1929 McMullen 248203 2/1936 Dodelin 248313 

1. THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A PORTABLE CYLINDRICAL TYPE FIRE EXTINGUISHER HAVING AN OPERATING LEVER AND A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED PIVOTED HANDLE FOR RELEASING SAID LEVER FOR OPERATION WHEN MOVED UPWARDLY; A FLEXIBLE BAND ADAPTED TO BE BUCKLED ABOUT SAID EXTINGUISHER; A CLIP HAVING A LOWER END SECURED TO SAID BAND AND AN UPPER END PORTION ADAPTED TO OVERLAP THE END OF SAID HANDLE WHEN SAID BAND IS BUCKLED ABOUT SAID EXTINGUISHER WHEREBY SAID EXTINGUISHER IS LOCKED AGAINST INADVERTENT OPERATION. 